Baked apple oatmeal! Like pie for breakfast!

I've edited this picture SIX times, and it will not stay upright.  But you get the idea.

Alaina likes oatmeal, I like oatmeal, and it's good for you.  But just serving plain oatmeal with brown sugar, milk, and raisins lost its luster for me a LONG time ago.  But adding fruit and baking the oatmeal, it's more like a breakfast casserole, and you've upped the nutritional ante with the fruit.  As always, NO QUICK OATS. I used extra thick cut organic oats.  If you're using steel-cut, be sure to slightly increase the liquid and the cooking time.

RECIPE

4 C. milk
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg...whatever spices you like, equivalent 1 1/2 tsp.
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine these ingredients in a saucepan, warm over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

To the milk mixture, add:

2 C. oatmeal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 C. chopped apple (that's about 2 small-med apples.  I leave the skins on)
1/2 C. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Pour into a greased 8x8 baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until center is set.

This recipe is one of those that is FANTASTICALLY easy to reheat.  Just scoop some into a bowl and microwave.  Excellent to make Sunday night for a couple breakfasts during the week.

Potatoes Au Gratin, cheater style.

Cheesy potato casserole?  Uncle.  I could sit down to a baking dish of these suckers with a fork and not even think twice about offering you some.  Sorry, I'm a girl who loves her starches.   But I'm also REALLY impatient, and doing full length potatoes au gratin just doesn't sit well with my clock-watching habits.

DISCLAIMER:  I didn't measure anything for these potatoes.  Just eyeballed the whole thing, so I'm sorry if the recipe seems vague.  I was just busy inventing.


Recipe:

• 6 well scrubbed potatoes, Russet or Yukon Gold preferred
• shredded cheese, lots (it was probably just under a pound).  I used sharp cheddar, fontina, and asiago.
• 1 egg, beaten
• Dijon mustard, about 1/4 cup
• About 1.5-2 cups milk
• thyme and black pepper to season

Slice potatoes thinly.  Add to cold water and bring to a boil.  When almost cooked, drain water and rinse with cold (just so you can handle them).  Mix liquid ingredients (i.e. not the cheese).  Begin layering potatoes in a well greased baking dish (pretty sure I used an 11x13...the shallower you make the dish, the shorter the cooking time).  Use about half the potatoes for your first layer.  Top with half the cheese.  Layer remaining potatoes, top with remaining cheese.  Pour milk mixture into casserole dish.  Do you best to make sure everything it distributed evenly!  Bake in a 400 degree oven until cheese has gone delicious-looky (slightly browned) and it doesn't look soupy anymore. 

Super Gourmet (yeah, right!) Stuffed Squash

I have a confession:  I'm a total sucker for fall vegetables.  Parsnips, turnips, beets, and squash.  I love squash.  So when I saw this beautiful little Swan White Acorn squash at the market, my culinary wheels started turning.  Baked squash is great.  I just had pureed squash for Thanksgiving.  So what to do?  I'm a big fan of stuffed bell peppers, so I thought, why not stuff the squash?

I completely and utterly made this dish up, so let me know if you have a variation.  I'd love to try something new!

Recipe:

• 1 cup uncooked rice, made according to package directions (I used basmati)
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage (I used ground, not links)
• 1 med. yellow onion, large dice.
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I used Braeburn...you'll want something a little tart)
• 3/4 dried cranberries
• 2 thick slices of cheese (I used fontina and asiago...personal preference dictates you use whatever you like!)
• 1 acorn or butternut squash, halved and buttered.

Make rice, set aside.  Bake buttered squash at 400 degrees.  While it's baking, cook sausage.  Add onions, cook until crisp-tender.  Add apples and cranberries.  I seasoned this with a couple shakes of allspice, but you can use whatever you like.  Cinnamon and nutmeg would be good, too.  Cook until apples are softened, but still crisp in the center.  Add rice, and reduce heat to just warm the whole mixture.  Check squash for doneness (you want the squash almost completely cooked, but still firm).  When the squash is ready, fill with rice and sausage mixture.  Pack it in and mound it up, otherwise it's a whole lot of squash with a few bites of rice!  Top with cheese and bake for about 15 minutes longer.    You should end up with a lot more rice and sausage mixture, which was great on its own, too-just microwaved it the next day for lunch.  It's probably even enough to stuff 2 squash (4 halves) if you're feeding more.

Baked Banana Oatmeal

Alaina is a huge fan of oatmeal, and so am I.  But just a plain old bowl of oatmeal can be so boring, and I'm always looking for a way to reduce the amount of sugar we take in, and increase the nutrition.  Baked banana oatmeal fits that profile!  When it's finished, the texture is almost like cake-like, which makes it feel like a treat rather than breakfast.

And now....for the recipe:

• 3 bananas,  2 sliced and I mashed (I used a "freezer banana" for the mashed)
• 2 cups rolled oats (NOT QUICK OATS)  I use thick-cut oats, they don't get as mushy.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including the bananas.  For ease of mixing, add the mashed banana first and blend well, then add the sliced bananas.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly.

Pour batter into a well greased casserole dish (about an 8x8) and bake for 26 minutes at 375 degrees.  Top with a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar, and turn your oven up to broil for 2-3 minutes.  Then enjoy!

As written, this recipe serves about 4.  But it also reheats great in the microwave, so save the leftovers!

More bread...the obsession continues!

I've got two loaves cooling on the counter, and another batch starting to rise.  Watch for my episode of "Intervention" on A&E.

I hate to throw away food.  So, like everyone else I know, as soon as I've deemed a banana "too brown" to eat, I throw it in the freezer.  This morning, after juggling eleventeen frozen bananas to get to the ice cubes, I decided to do something about it.  I'm not a huge fan of quick breads in general.  Around Christmas, sure, there's a few I like.  But I'm usually only good for a few slices before I forget all about it.   After Googling "what do I do with frozen bananas?" I hit on a recipe for a yeast bread that calls for bananas.  All the reviews promise that I'll never make banana quick bread ever again, that I'll be wholly a banana yeast bread convert.  Judging by the smell in my kitchen, that just might be true.



I bought some AMAZING tomatoes....you know, the kind that are just right with just a dash of salt, and eaten whole?  Oven roasted the skins off those suckers (literally), and tossed them in a dough with dill, sage, rosemary, and dehydrated onion.  It's rising now, and smells phenomenal.  I can't wait to try it with cream cheese and roast beef sandwiches!  This will be the first bread I've baked without the courtesy of a recipe.  Might be a success.....might be moonrocks.

Why post about Buckeye chickens?...

Because we added two Buckeye hens to the Emme family menagerie!  Pretty girls we call Dumpling and Biscuit, they're also extra smart, learning to head into the henhouse at night only after one day.

I chose Buckeyes for a couple of reasons: they were developed by a woman, they're an endangered breed, and they won't need a lot of "winterizing."  They also stay more on the small side, so the girls won't need quite as much space as a Silver-Laced Wyandotte or a Buff Orpington (huge beautiful birds, but boy, are they puffy!)

Dumpling and Biscuit

Their sweet lil' home.

We've had them almost a week now, and so far, we are big fans of having chickens.  They're fun to watch, are fairly low maintenance, and will be providing us with delicious eggs soon.  Our ladies are still a little too young for laying....but, for fresh eggs, I'll be patient.

Buckeyes!

The Buckeye was first bred and developed in 1896, by a Warren, Ohio resident named Nettie Metcalf .  They are the only American breed of chicken known to have been developed by a woman, despite the fact that women were customarily given charge of the household poultry flock throughout much of U.S. history.  Metcalf crossbred Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, and some black breasted red games to produce the Buckeye. Her goal was a functional breed that could produce well in the bitter Midwest winters. Contrary to popular belief the Buckeye breed was created before the Rhode Island Red breed and actually sent birds to the RIR breeders for them to improve their breed. 

The Buckeye was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1904.  Entrance in to the Standard of Perfection signifies official certification as a breed by the Association, and thus allows Buckeyes to be entered in to poultry shows and judged according to the breed standard (as outlined in the Standard of Perfection).

The recognition of Buckeyes in the Standard has been a significant factor in its survival.  In the past, largely due its lack of color variations, the Buckeye has not been an especially popular exhibition breed, but there is growing interest in the exhibition poultry fancy for this dual-purpose, heritage variety of bird. Not adopted by commercial operations, the Buckeye has generally been a bird of smaller farm flocks. Today the breed status is listed as Critical by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy,  Critical being defined as fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and globally endangered.  The breed is also included in the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste, a catalog of heritage foods in danger of extinction. 

It's hard work getting ready for vacation!

Alaina and I leave tomorrow morning for Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  This past couple of days, I've been busy stocking the fridge so Erik doesn't resort to living on "bachelor sandwiches" (my nickname for the strange creations he comes up with to put between bread, primarily cheese and pickles).  I've made a huge tray of spinach and cheese enchiladas, homemade Spanish rice and refried beans (which he actually kind of liked, that's a big step for his taste buds!) and baked macaroni and cheese (Emme family style, which is to say, so spicy that it has to be served with sour cream just to choke it down).  Tonight will also bring a tub of beenie weenies (baked beans with hot dogs).  We'll be gone until Tuesday night.  I'm not sure there'll be enough food!

I also baked two more loaves of pinto bean bread to take along with me.  There's something SO gratifying about feeding your child something that you know, for certain, is perfectly pure and wholesome.  No high fructose corn syrup, yellow dye #2, or potassium bromate (a horrifying bread additive that is close to being outlawed).  Don't get me wrong, sometimes I'll take the convenient way out...she did have Goldfish crackers and raisins for dinner (whole grain Goldfish and organic raisins, but you get my point).  But going that tiny extra mile for my family feels awesome.  And I enjoy baking.  Who knew?

Wagon train pulls out at 9:30 tomorrow morning.  I'll be sure to post pictures upon my return!

Cottage Cheese Dill Bread: Sounds weird, tastes awesome.

Just tried my first batch of cottage cheese dill bread.  This one needed a little more finesse than the pinto bean bread, but came out beautifully.

Apparently, my kitchen was too cold for it to rise properly, but once I put it outside on the picnic table, we were in business.  It calls for 4 1/2 cups of flour, but I ended up adding almost 2 cups more to keep it from sticking when I was kneading.  Got a little nervous that it would come out tough, but it's flawless!  At least, it is in my opinion.

This bread would be AMAZING for roast beef and havarti sandwiches, with a little horseradish mayo.  I'm half-tempted to run to the grocery store.  Or would make a nice homebaked substitute for rye if you're in the mood for Ruebens.  But so far, fresh out of the oven with a little butter isn't bad either.




http://www.cookingbread.com/recipes/savory_bread/cottage_cheese_dill_bread.html

The Washington Women's Cookbook

I stumbled across a cookbook published in 1908 published by The Washington Equal Suffrage Association.  It was cleverly titled, "The Washington Women's Cookbook."  It has some excellent recipes!  I especially want to try the flank steak.

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/coldfusion/display.cfm?ID=wash&PageNum=5

Just wanted to share!  I especially love that all the recipes call for butter and cream.  :o)

Pinto Bean Bread, the execution and conclusion

This morning, I embarked on my bread journey.  I read the recipe 4 times, made sure I had all the ingredients, and dove in.

This was the finished dough.  Waiting for it to rise was the first test.  Would it rise?  Or had I already screwed it up?

Nope!

It's doubled in size all 3 times I asked it to.  Pretty, pretty dough.



I don't have two loaf pans, so I made one a round loaf and one a traditional loaf.  Into the oven at 375 for 40 minutes, and then the true test.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!  But I was still a little nervous, the crust felt too hard.  But as soon as I cut into it, I knew I was worried for nothing.  Pinto bean bread is delicious!  And I didn't screw up a yeast bread!  And I made it by hand!  I am a particularly accomplished wife and mama today.


PINTO BEAN BREAD RECIPE
Ingredients:
2 packets yeast (1 packet yeast =2 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 lukewarm water
1/2 cup evap.milk
1 tbsp. salt
6- 7 cups flour
1 1/4 cup water (bean juice from making pinto beans)
1 cup mashed beans
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. sugar

Directions:
Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Warm bean juice on low heat take off heat- add milk, oil, salt, sugar, mashed beans and 2-3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add yeast and more flour until dough is easily handled. Knead until smooth(5-10 minutes). Place in greased bowls and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down and let rise again. Punch down, shape, and place in 2 greased bread pans. Let rise again.

Bake 40-45 min. at 375 F.

Pinto Bean Bread, the preview

I've been craving really really really good bread for a couple of days now.  After turning to Google for suggestions, I settled on pinto bean bread.  Rumor has it the texture and flavor make it an ideal snacking bread.  Not too mention the added nutritional benefits of beans in the bread will significantly increase the iron and protein per serving....and when you're watching out for someone else's nutrition (okay, the whole family's), a sneaky loaf of bread might be a big help.

Here's the trouble: it's a yeast bread.  The last time I made yeast bread (with the exception of industrial sized batches for a restaurant) was in a bread machine, and I screwed that up.  Let's just say I know exactly what moon rocks look like.

But the beans are soaking, the husband's been dispatched to pick up yeast after work, and I'm feeling ambitious.  Let the experiment begin!

She's back!

It's been awhile.  Obviously.  Since I last posted, Erik and I moved into a new house, started planning our daughter's first birthday, found out we were going to be an aunt and uncle, and started a new job.  These are, of course, in no particular order.

Erik gets to work 3:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. which is EXCELLENT for a couple reasons: he gets to spend more time with Alaina while she's awake and active, and it's a closer fit to his own personal alarm clock.  The drawbacks?  My creative dinner ideas are sort of useless.

I'll still be posting some recipes, but will probably only do general ideas for meal planning.  With the change in schedule, I really only cook about 2 or 3 large meals a week now....the other days, we scrounge leftovers or have sandwiches.  With the large meals, though, it's enough for Erik to be taking his "lunch" everyday.  (Yay!)

This time I'm serious.  I really will be more consistent!

Anne Lamott

If you are not familiar with Anne Lamott, I IMPLORE you to go pick up one of her books IMMEDIATELY.  Specifically, "Grace (Eventually)", "Traveling Mercies", or "Bird by Bird."  Her fiction is wonderful, don't get me wrong (I own most of it, I am speaking from experience).  But the essays she writes about her own life are spectacular. 

I've never really felt like someone "gets" it...with the exception of my own mother...until I read "Grace (Eventually)."  I read it when I was pregnant, and, let me tell you, it was the first time I was AFRAID to be a mother.  I was nervous about the cost, sure...but the responsibility part wasn't worrisome.  But the way she so perfectly encapsulates the sheer animal wilderness of a mother's love petrified me.  I wasn't worried about me, or my daughter....I was worried about anyone who might inflict the tiniest bit of harm - even accidentally!  Turns out I was right to be afraid.

When Alaina was about 4 weeks old, she feel asleep on my chest after I nursed her in the middle of the night.  This was SOP (standard operating procedure) for the first weeks home.  Erik rolled over, holding a pillow, and bopped her good.  She wasn't hurt, and I don't even think she woke up.  But I internally flew into a rage.  Intellectually, I knew there was no reason to be upset.  But that didn't keep me from screaming in my head...

"HOW DARE YOU?  DON'T YOU KNOW THERE IS AN ITTY-BITTY INFANT IN THIS BED?  SHE COULD'VE BEEN INJURED!  IF YOU SO MUCH AS BREATHE ON HER WRONG, YOU'LL NEVER SLEEP IN THIS BED AGAIN!!"

Like I said, intellectually, I knew it was no big deal.  And I didn't say anything.  But, my Lord, I didn't even know I could be that angry!

But Anne Lamott knew.  And she told me about it before it happened.  But I did not heed her warning.

Seriously, though, if you are a woman, or a daughter, or a mother, or a reader, or a writer, or a human...read something of hers.  It's incredible stuff.

Apologies...

I have been remiss in my updates, to say the least.  I recently contracted a stomach virus (i.e. doctor says sorry...just keep barfing) which is TONS of fun with an active 7 month old.  On the plus side, at least I'm not pregnant! 

Don't get me wrong, I want Alaina to have a sibling.  But I'd like to let her have the solo child spot for awhile longer.  My parents really screwed that up for me (sorry, Brandon) so I've just had to spend the rest of my life recreating the spotlight I missed out on as a small child.  Maybe I'm exaggerating.  Maybe.  Okay, maybe I just like the spotlight.

So I approach the blog with renewed zeal, and I apologize for the wait. 

Oh....you don't know about Twirlit?

 As in Twirlit.com?  It's a fun little website.  Gossip, makeup, diet, clothes, and also pertinent medical articles for women.  It's lots of fun.

But the best part?  Free Stuff Wednesdays!

Every Wednesday, Twirlit announces free stuff to give away.  This week, a tea sampler, last week was clothes.  One week they gave away the most amazing gym bag!  But it was before I knew about the site.  :o(



Here's the link to this week's giveaway: I <3 FREE!

(And what's even better?  It doesn't seem like that many people enter the giveaway...WAY better chances.  I shouldn't even be telling you!)

In case you were curious...

Alaina doesn't have a cold.  She has an ailment called RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), complicated by bronchiolitis (which was causing the wheezing).  RSV, at its mildest, is basically a really bad cold.  At it's worst, it means hospitalization, or even death. *cue dramatic music*

Google Health has a nice page with the details: RSV information and statistics.

She appears to be on the upswing. I've scheduled one more trip to the pediatrician (making 3 for this illness) to confirm that.  Don't want to be a hysterical first time parent, but lack of oxygen isn't something to screw around with.

She is also NO LONGER CONTAGIOUS.  So no need to worry.

But it does bring up some interesting reminders for me.  For instance, I've never been a stickler about making people wash their hands before handling Alaina, including children (who are the #1 affected and passer-ons).  Please don't be offended if I ask you to scrub up before holding her.  I don't think you're dirty...just germy.  This has been a rough two weeks for everyone.  And it's not quite over yet!

I am so grateful that her little personality is unchanged even though she feels like garbage.  I know I can be a cranky mess when I'm all congested and not getting enough rest.  But not my daughter.  Sure, she might need a little more love and to be entertained, but I'm happy** to oblige cuddling that baby!

**Sometimes it's not as much fun when she's really tired with a runny nose and has tried to rub her sleepy little eyes, but missed, and so only succeeded in smearing snot all over her face, and is in the process of blowing Guiness Book sized bubbles of drool (and snot, too, I'm sure).  Sometimes, then, it's not quite as much fun to cuddle her...you know when she's a damp cranky tired mess.  But a few quick swipes to the face with a tissue, and we're back in CuddleTown.

Recipe: Baked Hawaiian French Toast with Fresh Berry Compote

Sounds fancy, right?  Couldn't be easier.  :o)  I instituted "Breakfast for Dinner Fridays" at our house because that's and EXTRAORDINARILY long work day for Erik, and who wouldn't want to head to their second job with a tummy full of warm breakfasty goodness?

The details:
16-18 oz. Hawaiian bread (either King's or Franz.  16 oz. is the round loaf, 18 oz. is a package of rolls)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (very softened!)
5 eggs
3 cups milk
1/2 C. maple syrup (use real, otherwise it tastes too sweet)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, OR nutmeg, OR cardamom (personal preference)

Tear bread into 1" pieces (if you're using the rolls, that's roughly quartering them).  Place in greased 9"x13" pan (glass is preferred).

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs (one at a time, that's important!) and beat well.  Mix remaining ingredients until blended.  Pour over bread and refrigerate overnight. 
[Breakfast for Dinner Fridays note: any "overnight" refrigerated items means I make it in the morning, and let chill all day]

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes...or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  For me, that was closer to 45 minutes.  Allow to "rest" for 5 minutes.  I cut it into quarters, then the quarters into wedges.

While it's baking, make your berry compote!

The details:
4 total cups berries, your choice.  [I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.  I'd stay away from raspberries, they will fall apart when mixed.]
1/2 cup orange marmalade, melted. [stir constantly over medium heat on stove top, it melts quickly, and if you've ever smelled burnt sugar, you'll realize why we don't microwave it!]


Fold together gently.  Allow to sit for AT LEAST 10 minutes. [The sugar in the marmalade will draw out the juices in the berries....delish!]

  Ta-da!  Would be a great brunch addition!

Respiratory Nastiness.

Baby Alaina has another cold.  Not something she tolerates very well, since she is a baby who loves her sleep, and congestion isn't exactly conducive to restfulness.


After waking up wheezing on Friday, and coughing until she puked all over, I decided a trip to the pediatrician was warranted.  The visiting pediatrician (who was awesome, by the way) congratulated me (!!) on catching the symptoms early and recognizing the wheezing as a problem.  And then prescribed Albuterol. 

Albuterol is a bronchodilator that is given in an inhalant form (for itty bitty kids there's a mask attachment).  It's wonderful, it cleared the wheezing right up, helps her breathe (if she can ever get her nose to quit running)...but one teensy, tiny, little minuscule drawback.

She can't sleep.  It makes her wired.  Jittery even.

We're talking about a kid who naps, on average, 3 times a day.  In the last two days, she has napped a combined total of 40 minutes.  No big deal, she'll sleep at night, right?  Wrong.  Not only is it a struggle to get her to sleep, she doesn't stay asleep very well.  And a couple hours later, she'll wake up wheezing again.  So do I put her back to bed, let her get the rest she needs to be well, and listen to her struggling to breathe?  Or do I give her more medication, clear up the rattle in her lungs, and stay up with a cranky baby?

I went from having a daughter that looked at me so sweetly and so gratefully when I put her down for naps to having a daughter who snuggles into her cuddle (my name for her polkadot fleece blanket) only to start screaming 2 minutes later because she can't shut her brain off. 

Is it too early to give her a sippy cup of Airborne?

On the plus side, even though she is awake ALL day, Alaina is still a sweet baby to be around.  Takes a little bit of extra entertaining (otherwise she dissolves into a fit of exhausted crying that still doesn't parlay into a nap), but is otherwise charming as usual.  This was a photo I snapped of her on our walk today:

 
She's so proud of those little teeth.  Alaina kept smiling for anyone who paid her the least bit of attention, like she was saying, "Look, I'm getting teeth, just like you!"

A note on this week's menu...

Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day.  As such, I lose my husband to O'Finnigan's Pub for the evening.  Not because he'll be slugging down green beer and corned beef, but because he'll be keeping the idiots in line who are slugging down green beer and corned beef.  Welcome to the glamorous life of a bouncer.

So the menu is Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday night's dinners (Saturdays, again, on my own, lose him to the thrill of dealing with drunkards).

Your kids are great. But....

Here it is.  You've been waiting for a rant, I'm sure.  And today, I oblige.

(Before I begin, allow me to preface:  this is NOTNOTNOT about any one person.  This is a culmination of feelings begotten from well-meaning suggestions that I'm too polite and well-bred to turn into a backhanded compliments.)

Please don't tell me how to raise my kid.  If I want (or need) advice, I'll ask for it.  I promise.

But your unsolicited suggestions, your passive aggressive hints, and your outright judgemental reactions are hurtful.  And honestly, detrimental to my mental health.  It can't be safe for me to imagine you burned at the stake for your (in my opinion) bad parenting advice.

Just because you raised, or are raising, a child doesn't make you T. Berry Brazelton.  Having a child older than mine didn't unlock some mysterious safe in which ALL secrets of parenting were stored. 

The best piece of wisdom I've gotten on the subject?  "Yes, they raised a child...but not YOUR child."

My child is just that: MINE.  I know her better than you.  Not to be immature, but nanner nanner boo boo.

Sure, I've only been at this parenting thing for 6 months, but I have 27 years of observational experience, books galore, the internet, and what was that other thing???  Oh, right, MILLIONS OF YEARS OF BIOLOGICAL INTUITION.   If it doesn't feel right to my instinct, I'm not going to do it.  And if I'm not doing it, it's because it doesn't feel right.  So that suggestion I receive contradicting my feelings?  In one ear and out the other (I've been practicing that manuever since age 12).

I know it takes a village.  And I appreciate my village.  But I'd prefer to reach out to the villagers.  And sometimes it seems like the only villager available is the town idiot.  And you can't deny that, as parents, we ALL feel this way at one time or another.  We want the best for our children, and we want our own decisions validated.  So when we receive suggestions that go against what we feel, we react defensively...because what we hear is that our decisions are BAD, we are BAD parents, we are HARMING our children.  Sure, not what was said....but that millions of years of instinct is telling us otherwise.

I think I might just have to develop a code phrase.  It will sound very polite to the suggestion giver, but in my head it translates to vicious profanity.  Hmmm....more on this code phrase later!

Seriously? Who does that TWICE?

When Alaina was about 2 months old, I locked her, along with my keys, in the car.  It was cold, dark, threatening to rain, and she was enormously hungry.  Which, of course, for an 11 week old, means lots of screaming.  The manager of Red Robin was very helpful, and enlisted his staff to keep me from freaking out (too late) and brought us hot chocolate.  He even offered to pay for the towing or locksmith!  It was an awful night, but, like most things, it was funny eventually.  Until Sunday.

Last Sunday, my mom and I went to the grocery store on our way to my dad's house for a birthday celebration.  I grabbed a cart, was getting ready to bring Miss Lainey out, when the woman parked next to me indicated that she needed to leave RIGHT THEN.  So I shut the door, waited for her to back out, and tried the door.  Locked.  Again.  With the baby in the car.  Again.  Fortunately, my mom has AAA (conveniently purchased after the last "Morgan locked the infant in the car" incident).  It only took them about 30 minutes to show up, and get into the car (did you know they use a blood pressure cuff [or sphygmomanometer, if you're feeling fancy] to crack the door open enough to snake an unlocking tool in there?) and Alaina was smiling and giggling most of the time.  The last few minutes she was growing tired of waving and having kisses blown to her.  I'm sure if she could, she'd have said, "Mom, just get me out of the car already!  Why are you just standing there?!" 

When we arrived at my dad's house, my stepdad (not my mom's husband, but my dad's partner, keep up with the story, people!) had just stepped out to run an errand.  A little unusual for him when he knew there was company on the the way.  When Gary got home, he came bearing a set of TWO hide-a-keys.  Boy, am I loved.  With the key hidden on the car, I'll NEVER lock my keys in the car again.

That's what I said as soon as my mom got AAA.  And since she's gotten it, I've locked my keys in the car twice.  Only once with the baby inside.  Do you know how many times I've locked myself out of the car in my life?  3.  In 6 months.  All after my daughter showed up. 

I'm not blaming her....I'm just pointing out the facts.

delish.com's take on budget groceries

 Great link from my sister-in-law, Nichole.  Some really fantastic info!

[Grocery Tips]

Also would like to add:

~The first bit about grocery store rotisserie vs. roasting your own has one major flaw.  Not only can you roast your own for TONS cheaper, but you can roast it in the crockpot for nearly the same convenience as grocery store rotisserie.  Bar none, crockpot roast chicken is amazing.  I roast mine upside down and end up with the juiciest and most tender chicken breasts of all time.

~Using chicken thighs vs. breast: boneless chicken thighs are only a tiny bit more expensive than bone-in, and are tons more convenient.  Plus, the additional fat in the meat makes thighs ideal for stir-frying or sauteing.

~On seafood: I found a bag of frozen tilapia loins for about $6.  Each fillet is enough for one adult, and there's about 12 per bag.  That's $1 per serving! (until you get going on the side dishes)

~EAT SEASONAL!!!  Not only is it smart, cheaper, and tastes freakin' amazing, it can be SO MUCH FUN.  I had a great time with my mom, mother-in-law, and my daughter trolling local farmers markets.  It also is a great way to support local farms.  When we get closer to spring, I'll start posting what's coming into season.

An acrostic poem dedicated to Dave's Killer Bread.

Delightfully textured,
And so
Very satifisfying when
Eaten in the
Stillness of the morning.

Kept next to my toaster oven for
Immediate access....don't want to have to go
Looking for it when the craving
Looms!
Empty bags are a source of
Remorse...but mostly abject despair.

Bread?  It's just bread, he says. His failure to
Recognize the magical
Earthiness and intoxicating
Aromas just mean that, without a
Doubt, I always get the last piece.

She is her mother's daughter.

It's not too early for me to get her a 

Tully's card, is it?

Snoqualmie Falls!

As I mentioned in my gratitude post yesterday, I lovelovelove taking advantage of all the neat stuff Washington state has to offer.  Erik, Alaina, and I headed out to Snoqualmie Falls in North Bend to check it out.

This is Salish Lodge.  Rumor has it the restaurant
and spa are fantastic.


                                                     The Falls from the Hawk Overlook. 
                                                                 Main viewpoint was closed.






                                                    Trees on the opposite side of the Falls.

Small whirlpool near the base.

The crest.

Ivy on a tree near the trail.

                               The happiest baby in all the land.



















He was avoiding pictures, but I finally got him!

Why Bibs Were Invented (....or "Why Dad's Don't Feed Babies")

Thank God for plastic bibs.  But she loved the "garden vegetable" baby food.  P.S. Where else would vegetables come from?  I've never heard of "sidewalk vegetables" or "canyon vegetables"....of course they come from a garden.

Today, and everyday, I am grateful for...

•  My husband, Erik: he works 7 days a week, without (much) complaint to provide for our family, and to allow me to stay home with our daughter.

• My daughter, Alaina: she never fails to bring a smile to my face, no matter how low the checking account balance is, how full the dishwasher may be, or how much laundry has piled up.  Seeing the pure joy on her face when she sees something she likes is a constant reminder to revel in simple pleasures.

• My family, both blood and paper: the support they've given to Erik and I while we learn to be parents is unparalleled.  They celebrate our victories, and kiss our owies when we fall.

• My brother (yes, he's family, I know...): he has stepped up and embraced the role of "uncle" more than I knew was capable.  And in being a great uncle, he has become an even more amazing brother than before.

• My community and my neighbors: they are excellent resources for humor, consolation, and a cup of sugar.

• My health, both physical and mental: for allowing me the capability and desire to spend time with my daughter and husband.  I adore watching her grow, and I can't wait (well, I can wait a little bit) to watch Erik get gray hair and start wearing old man suspenders!

• My country and government: maybe its not ideal at the moment, but it's certainly working better for me than a lot of others might.  Except for Canada and France.  The whole "government-mandated vacation" thing sounds awesome.  Get paid by politicians to not work?  Okay.

• My state: seeing bald eagles surveying passing cars while sunshine pours in through my windows, spending wonderful days nestled in the temperate rainforest, watching the breakers of Pacific Ocean roll into shore, or heading over the arid eastern Washington climate...and can do it all in the same day!  I am truly blessed to make my home where I choose.

"On The Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman

I've had a go-to collection of kids books that I've adored since I was, well...a kid.  Not classics, by any means, but stories I remember reading with my parents.  What family didn't have a copy of "The Little Brute Family" on their coffee table?  Oh?  You didn't?  That was just me?  Again, the misfit.

I ordered a new book (ack!  change!) from Barnes & Noble, and it just showed up.

Learn more here!

This book is incredible.  For sure, it's the new bedtime book in our house.  It's prose is so lyrical, the illustrations are magic, and it carries a powerful message: that you are the one and only you!



So whenever you doubt just how special you are and you wonder who loves you, how much how far,
listen for geese honking high in the sky.
(They're singing a song to remember you by.)

Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
(It's because they've been dancing all night for you!)

Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
(Listen closely...it's whispering your name again!)
It's true, Miss Alaina James....the night you were born was a wonderful, powerful, magical night.  And this world is an infinitely better place for having you in it.

How Google Pwned My Pediatrician (or "Yes, mom, you were right...")

Alaina's six month well check was today.  Once again, medical science declared her a marvel.  Not surprising.  But her pediatrician did diagnose an innocent heart murmur.

"Are you familiar with heart murmurs?" she asked.

"It's just a goofy heart beat, right?  Like a valve not closing all the way?"  I wasn't worried, I've known lots of people with heart murmurs, and it's never been a problem. 

"Or it could be a hole in her heart.  Most murmurs that sound like this are no big deal.  She'll most likely grow out of it."

HOLE IN HER HEART?  NO BIG DEAL?  I totally thought I had a grasp on it, didn't think I would freak out.  But then she says hole in her heart....those words are a huge deal. 

I was on my way home when my mom called.

"So, have you Googled heart murmurs yet?" she asked.

"No, if her pediatrician isn't worried, I'm not going to worry," I said, still a good 20 minutes from home and Internet access.

But now I'm home.  And, of course, I couldn't stop the compulsion to type those 3 words into my Google taskbar.  Here is what the American Heart Association has to say about innocent heart murmurs.  Notice they don't mention hearts with holes in them. 

Innocent Heart Murmurs...not "hole" hearted!

I'm still not worried. 

Baby Pictures

Forgot to say a HUGE thank you to Jessica Hanaumi!  She's a photographer who takes incredible photos of new babies with their parents.  Miss Jessica spent some time with the moms of Stevens Hospital New Moms & Babies group and gave us all a few pointers on how to get perfect photos of our perfect children.

Check out Jessica's work: http://hanaumi.com/

Oh yeah, and there's an app for that: iPhone users search jhanaumi

Yes. I AM that nerdy.

This morning I got to do something that I haven't had the time for in 2 weeks.  Something that I look forward to.  Something that I enjoy.

I planned this week's dinner menu.

I will post each weeks menu in the sidebar.  Occasionally, I will post the recipes and pictures of the meals (and I'm more than happy to share any of the recipes if you ask).

There is something so satisfying in putting together meals for the week and compiling the grocery list.  Or maybe it's a tad obsessive-compulsive.  But hey, it works for us!  I always feel like a detective: what ingredients do I already have on hand to minimize what needs to be purchased?  What will make enough for lunches the next day? 

The trick to successful menu planning and grocery shopping?  Buy when it's on sale.  Shop in bulk, if you have the space.  And be realistic.  It's only a good deal if it will actually get eaten.  For instance, tonight's dinner is wild mushroom and beef stroganoff.  My husband will ALWAYS eat buttered egg noodles as a side dish, so we keep them on hand.  We both like sour cream, so it's usually in the house.   The only items I need to purchase for tonight's meal: mushrooms and beef.  Tomorrow night's dinner: veggie burgers.  This came about because we had chicken patty sandwiches last week, and I needed to find something to do with the remaining burger buns.  Pick up veggie patties, freeze four of the buns, and magic!  Dinner on Monday.

I usually plan 5 dinners for a seven day period.  Saturday nights, I'm on my own since Erik is working.  And leaving one night up to chance leaves us room for dinner with family, eat up leftovers, or fitting in a whimsical craving (not going to lie, it's usually hot dogs).

The most important part of weekly meal-planning?  WRITE IT DOWN.  I keep a calendar on the fridge that lists all our family events (doctors appointments, birthdays, etc.) and at the bottom of each day is a note of what is planned for dinner.  I color-code mine, but that's an advanced skill....for beginners, you can just jot it down.  Writing it down will help you write out your grocery list, will help keep you committed to your plan, and will also give you a record of what you've had before. 

Yes, I AM that nerdy.

I can't believe I've devoted this much time and energy into groceries.

And so it begins...

So I'm finally going to do it: a blog. Isn't that de riguer for a stay at home mom?

Hopefully, this will be much more than that. My goal is for this to become a resource...recipes, humor, shopping (that's grocery shopping, who has time or money for the other kind!) tips, and much more.

I want to celebrate being a stay at home mom...yes, celebrate. Even though the invites from friends don't come anymore, "dressed up" is any outfit that matches, and your sense of accomplishment comes from getting a load of laundry in AND emptying the dishwasher on the same day.

So to you, the stay at home mom (SAHM) may be a creature to be pitied...but we know the truth. That this stepping stone in life, this path we have chosen, is truly just training for our higher calling: ninja. We deftly soothe the cranky baby and start dinner. Silently make appointments and (usually) get there on time. Swiftly save tiny fingers from plunging into hot (okay, lukewarm) coffee and baby food jars. Coordinate healthy dinners that transform into lunches the next day. Stealthily throw away that embarassing t-shirt the husband tries to wear almost daily.

It's true. You can't deny it. We are ninjas. Stay at Home Ninjas.